, 1887-08-10
FIRES AND DROUTH.
Forest Fires Raging IN Mich
igan and Wisconsin.
Crops Suffering From Want
of Rains.
Nine Business Houses Burned
in Sandusky.
Forest Fires.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich, Aug. O.
Forest fires are raging in Northern Park,
Kent county. At Sand lake the fire got
into the pine and some times came near
devouring the village. Farm houses and
buildings were barely saved. The woods
and fields in every direction about Cedar
Springs are on fire and pretty much every
body is engaged in fighting the flames and
trying to save farm property. Several
residences were yesterday surrounded by
hire and only by great efforts were saved.
Ii rain does not come there will be heavy
losses. Crops are suffering terribly
Fire broke out in the pineries near Grand
vile yesterday afternoon and there is dan
ger of the village burning up. Fires are
also burning in the marshes near the city
and the smoke is thick all about.
FORT lGNACE, Mich, Aug. "a
change of wind this morning has saved
the town, which seemed doomed by the
approaching fires.
DETROIT, Aug. "A Free Press spe-
cial from Grand Rapids says: The fires
are still burning north and south OF here.
From the north discouraging reports are
received here to night. AT Crofton, four
miles south of Kalkaska, flames destroyed
a large amount Of farm buildings and
fences. Around Kingsley miles of fences
and many fields were burned oyer.
NEILsvILLE, Wis, Aug. 9.-Forest
hres have broken out again in this vicin-
ity and are causing much damage to log
ging camps and other camp outfits. The
loss is heavy. Near the same place is a
Jam of thousands of logs and the fire is
within a mile of the jam with the wind
blowing towards it. August Hasley, a
farmer seven miles from here, has lost
225 cords of wood. Fire broke out yester-
day on Wedges creek, west of here, and
is spreading fast. This is in the neigh
borhood of Hewettsville, which was des-
troYed by fire Just one year ago yesterday.
Considerable apprehension is felt here
and the city has been thoroughly wet down
by the water works. Every thing is very
dry and if there is no rain within the next
twenty four hours greater damage than
last year is expected. News has been re
ceived here that the large stave mill of
Hern 4 Myer, on Wedges creek, together
with thousands of dollars worth of its
slaves is in great danger, and a crew of
men have started from the city to fight
the flames. A fierce fire is raging in
Wood marsh, southeast of Portage, and a
force of men is hard at work fighting the
fire.
CHICAGO, Aug. 9.-Telegrams received
this morning from central points through.
out the entire $4,000 square miles of the
drouth stricken northwestern country,
shows a fearful sun scorching of all vege-
t~ation, which continues ~unabated. Not
a drop of rain has fallen except eight
one. hundredths of an inch, as the Des
Moines local observations in various dis
tricts give. But little hope of a break
within the coming t%wenty-four hours is
looked for. A trife cooler weather and
scattered light showers are expected in
some places, but the conditions are such
that if the possible little moisture and
GOODNESS are at all delayed the effect will
be totally lost in the seemingly imminent
further general rise of temperature from
end to end of the drought region.
Never before have the farmers and
residents of the suburbs about the city
suffered SO from heat and dry weather.
All around the vegetables of the small
gardeners are killed; all along the railroad
tracks the prairies are on fire and resi-
dents of suburbs are called out at all
hours of the day and night to combat the
flames. Water is very scarce, and els
terms and wells are alike empty, and the
greatest economy of the precious fluid is
observed. Cattle are suffering greatly.
At Washington Heights water has been
50 scarce that it finds ready sale at five
cent per pail.